


Written in Ink

by Delia_Sky



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, M/M, Mentions of Rape, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Victim Blaming, i will add more later if needed, im sorry i hadnt planned that far ahead, its possible to get more than one mark in this au which is the main problem
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-11-28 06:21:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18204668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Delia_Sky/pseuds/Delia_Sky
Summary: After a while, he stopped taking notes of the names. They didn't matter much, their purpose were only to add another story, inked on his skin, just another topic for a bedroom talk before the warmth left again in the end...All Hyungwon wanted was to forget the names existed on his skin, so he covered them all. All Hoseok wanted was to engrave Hyungwon's name on his heart, so he bared it all.





	Written in Ink

**Author's Note:**

> I was planning on longer chapter but some things came up, so i had to cut this here. If you spot any mistakes (typo or grammar error and the likes) and/or something that doesnt make sense, dont hesitate to inform me.
> 
> enjoy~!

He couldn’t decide which he hated more between the too loud music and too sweet cocktails. Navigating through the gyrating bodies on the dance floor was also eager to join the fight to the top of his hate list.

It was Saturday night and he started wondering why he even came here when he could be sitting in his couch eating chips while catching up on documentaries. But then he saw his boyfriend on the stage and he remembered why.

Something glided along the length of his spine and he turned around abruptly, but there were just too many drunk people and too many people in general to start pointing finger.

He wanted to go home. But he didn’t want to be that whiny boyfriend that was never happy seeing his significant other having fun.

There was a hand on his hip, then another, then a too hot body pressed against his back.

“Hey, baby, why don’t you show me—”

“Not interested, bye.”

But the filthy hand caught his wrist and wrapped around it tightly. “No need to be so rude. Come on, we’ll start by taking off that turtleneck.”

He snatched his hand, quickly making his way back to the drink bar to grab his coat. The man was too drunk to follow him, so hallelujah. There was a bruise on his wrist. Of course there was. Luckily, nothing more. He’d had enough.

The walk to his car was the highlight of that night. He took his cigarette case from his pocket, frowning with how little he had left. They wouldn’t be enough to make him forget about this awful, awful night.

Thirty minutes into waiting and finally his boyfriend came out of the club, looking pissed. But, hey, so was he.

“Why did you leave?”

“I needed some air. It was stuffy in there.”

The man rolled his eyes. “You are always like this.”

“Okay, we can have this conversation here, or we can have it somewhere else. Pick your poison.”

There was an exasperated groan. “I don’t know why I even bother with you.”

He shrugged. “Something to do with your name on my back, maybe?” he offered. That earned him a glare.

“You think this is a joke, do you? I’ve waited 24 years. 24 years! And who do I get for a soulmate? You.”

“Your mother probably said something similar when you were born. Anyway, I take it you’re not getting in, so, bye.”

There were curses and insults hurled at him but he learned to ignore petty things like that. It wasn’t worth the emotional baggage. The reflection of the man got smaller and smaller until it was gone from the frame when he took a turn.

He turned on the radio to fill the silence. And boy, did he regret it. The host’s voice was grating his ears, her fake excitement evident in the way she greeted the listener—not that he blamed her, it was almost midnight after all—and above all the reasons, the song playing on the channel. A song about finding soulmate and how wonderful it was.

Bullshit.

He turned the radio half minute into the song and drove home in silence broken only by the air conditioner on full blast.

Nothing greeted him home other than his cat, an old bundle of joy with odd eyes. He picked her up and she purred right away. “I broke up with him, baby, aren’t you glad? You can have the couch back, oh, yes, you can, pretty baby. At least one of us get what she wants, yeah?”

He unlocked his phone to 37 missed calls, 21 messages, and 59 chat notifications. Deleted and blocked, his fingers moved in practiced movements. There went another one, and his contact list was getting shorter and shorter. Then he opened a chat window from said list.

 

CHW: You free tomorrow?

 **Minmoongie:** say no more.

 **Minmoongie:**  now i am

 **Minmoongie:** time?

CHW: Is around 11 okay?

 **Minmoongie:** anything for my baby

CHW: Thanks

CHW: See you

 **Minmoongie:** <3

 

It was late and he should be sleeping right now. So sleep he did.

* * *

“So, is your wrist okay? Does it hurt?”

“No, not really.”

“If I see him next time, I’ll deck him in the face.”

Hyungwon laughed, but it didn’t mean he agree. It would only bring him trouble. “You know you shouldn’t.”

The hands working on his back stopped for the moment Minhyuk leaned forward to pout in his face. “He’s lucky you’re so level-headed.”

“Yeah. He is, isn’t he?”

Minhyuk didn’t answer after that. If he did, he wouldn’t finish until he was satisfied with cursing someone who wasn’t even there. And that would take a very long time, time that could be put into much better use. Like working on the ink on Hyungwon’s back.

The needle danced on his skin, each stab felt like it was filling his skin with another story to be told. And it did. Because when he was done being sensible and being the fool was all the rave once again, he would fell for it again, and his new lover would ask; “What’s the story for this?” and point on whatever image they had interest in, until said interest dissipated when they realize they were all telling the same story with slightly different background.

Changkyun’s face peeked from behind the curtain separating the room they were in and the storefront that was also a niche café.

“Hyung, so, hear me out, there are these two dudes outside and one of them is ripped, like really ripped, and he asked if this was your place. And I was afraid he’d crush my head with his biceps, so I just told him that yes, this is exactly where Lee Minhyuk lives. So, either they’re here to collect debt, or they’re here for tattoo. Just saying.”

“You know I don’t have debt. If they were previously scheduled for today, tell them I’m working and can’t meet for now. If they don't, tell them to fuck off, I'm busy.”

“But, one of them—”

“Is really ripped, yeah. So?”

“’Kay. Just making sure.”

The young man shot them finger guns and disappeared from their sight. Only to reappear with a sigh. “He said they had time and they’d wait. Also, he ordered Iced Americano and tipped like… a lot, so please don’t ask me to kick them out.”

“Boy—”

“Hyungwon-hyung, please defend me.”

Hyungwon let out a chuckle. “Well, I did just sit still for two hours straight. I can just reschedule for the finishing?”

“Aww, leaving already, baby?”

“I’m staying for coffee. Sorry you had to clear out your appointments for me.”

“You know I never mind." Minhyuk grinned and took off his black gloves. “Changkyun-ah, wrap it up for me, will you?”

“Yessiree!”

Changkyun was an eager learner, the type of student who would be happy when his teacher gave him task to finish. The only catch was he was only happy if it was something in line with his interest. This, luckily, was.

The boy washed his hand thoroughly and wore a pair of gloves before wiping Hyungwon’s back with wet towel gently and applied soothing gel before wrapping the inked skin with gauze.

“Are you getting enough practice with the inking?” he decided to make small talk.

“No, not yet. Minhyuk-hyung lets me observe often if the costumer consents though. By the way, fishes this time?”

“Yeah, the name is blotchy so Minhyuk said koi fishes would do great hiding it.”

He had nothing to hide here, in this little circle of friends. They knew how many names were on his body and although concealed behind intricate images and vivid colors, they probably knew where the writings were hiding better than him.

“And done.”

He muttered his thanks before grabbing his turtleneck, hissing a bit while putting it on. When he walked out to through the curtain, a few pairs of eyes landed on him. He was used to it.

Behind the counter, a brunette beckoned him to sit on the bar seat. “Macchiato?”

“I’m feeling latte today.”

Kihyun, the brunette, nodded before leaving him to make his order. The white noise in the background soon drowned him and his thought.

“Should I crank up the AC? You look uncomfortable.”

He shook his head. It wasn’t the heat, though it might as well, being summer and all. “I was just thinking where I should go from here, the usual. Nothing much.”

“If you say so, then.”

Then Minhyuk screeched, attracting all the attention in the small space including Hyungwon’s. “Think about it some more, then!” the blonde said, pointing his slender finger at one poor guy with deep dimples on his face.

“I’ve made up my mind!”

“It stays on your skin, you know! And imagine the cost if you want it removed.”

The dimple boy’s friend—Hyungwon assumed it was his friend—helplessly trying to calm the quarrel. And goddamn, Changkyun was right. The guy was ripped.

And said ripped guy’s eyes met his. Awkwardly, Hyungwon raised his hand and nodded a little, a gesture the other returned with an added goofy smile.

“Hyungwonnie!”

“Yah?”

“Knock some sense into him!”

He approach the table with caution lest he ignite the fire once again. “What kind… of sense?”

“He lost a bet and now he had to get tattoo. Or so he said because he can’t think outside the box,” Minhyuk sighed before taking a sip of his cola dramatically. “You can always kill your friend and no one has to know.”

“Did you just imply I should kill Jackson so I don’t have to get a tattoo?”

“Not implying. Suggesting.”

“That’s… an interesting solution but so wrong on so many levels. No thanks.”

Then they argued again.

Hyungwon cleared his throat, still awkwardly standing near the table even when the heated discussion had taken a sharp turn into the area dangerously close to the best way to dispose a body. “How about this? Ask the guy if you not getting the tattoo would affect your friendship. Based on his answer, you think about it for a week or two, see if you still need to get inked. Come here again if you do. Not the most spectacular plan, but it involves less killing.”

The way the three guys’ eyes widen before they heaved out a collective hum of realization was baffling.

“You’re so good at this, Hyungwonnie.”

“Only because homicide is not on the top of my ‘get shit done’ list. It’s fun, you should try it.”

The older man’s toothy grin followed him to his seat where he picked up his tall glass and took a sip of his now lukewarm latte.

* * *

Two weeks later, he met the dimple boy and muscle guy in front of Minhyuk’s place again. “You’re still getting the tattoo, I see?” he said, not bothering with greeting lest they found him too friendly.

“He made up his mind. I can already see him sitting on the bar crying and regretting his life choices though.”

“Hoseok-hyung, please.”

Oh. Hoseok. That was a nice name, he thought.

He threw them an obligatory smile, the tight smile that usually meant “I’m smiling for the sake of courtesy.” The Hoseok guy replied with wide grin, though. He felt like an asshole in the instance.

Just in time, Changkyun walk out the door with flustered face. He seemed relieved seeing them. “Hyungwon-hyung, you look radiant as ever today.”

“What do you need my help with, Changkyun-ah?”

“Yeah, if you could just stay here while I get Muscle-hyung to deal with—” Then they heard a crash. “That.”

Hyungwon rushed inside, against the wishes of the screeching Changkyun. Minhyuk and Kihyun had been his friends for so long and the least he could do was to hide the body if it came to that point.

Inside, Kihyun was holding Minhyuk back as hard as he could while Minhyuk was swinging a cane wildly, trying to hit a familiar man crouching at the corner of the room, only a few centimeters shy from the menacing cane.

“Minhyuk, what—”

When the swinging halted for a second, the man took the chance to lunge at Hyungwon, face red with fury.

“Hey!”

He would've gotten hit if it wasn’t for Hoseok shielding him right away.

“You! Two weeks and this?!”

Unconsciously, his hands clenched tightly around Hoseok’s leather jacket. “Why—?” he never got to finish because his throat was suddenly at the man’s mercy. His last ex was fast and slippery, if anything, with a penchant for chocking other apparently.

There were fingers around his neck and fingers trying to pry them off.

Everything ended with a loud crack and he saw Minhyuk standing, in all his glory, with a broken cane in his hand while Kihyun looked so done.

“I was doing him a favor. But did he appreciate it? No! he just got to go for Hyungwon’s blood. The sheer audacity!”

“That’s why you shouldn’t have hold me back in the first place.”

There was a groan from the man, but they all chose to ignore it in favor of calling a guy who knew a guy who knew another guy who knew a police. Because Hyungwon couldn’t do police. He just couldn’t, not after they disappoint him.

“You’re okay?”

Nothing but a weak “Huh?” left him. Hoseok’s mouth was moving and he heard murmurs, but he couldn’t make it out at all. Then a cold surface touched his lips, it was a glass of cold water. He took a small sip, the cold soothed his burning throat a little. He managed to mutter a quiet “Thanks.”

And then he passed out.

* * *

Throughout his life, there were many instances when Hoseok was worried about a stranger’s condition to a point of being lost. Two were the most memorable. First was when he only just met Jooheon at a mutual friend’s house and the red haired man—a brunette back then—started crying nonstop after a few too many shots, vomited into the toilet, and passed out with his head still hanging on the toilet bowl. He thought Jooheon died choking on his own vomit back then.

The second was now. Especially because he had a chance and the strength to prevent what’d happened, but he didn’t. The store owner was nice enough to give him something to eat while blonde’s shorter friend bustling around between the cramped living room and the main bedroom somewhere out of sight. But he couldn’t bring himself to eat.

“Don’t beat yourself up over it. If there’s one thing that sod’s good at, it’s at being fast and slippery. Did you see how he lunged himself at Hyungwon-hyung?”

He nodded at Changkyun’s words. The younger had this weirdly calming presence. And sometimes equally weird words of wisdom that came out of nowhere.

Although, honestly, Hoseok didn’t know why he’d stayed here anyway. He could’ve just gone home after the disastrous scuffle after making sure Hyungwon was in capable hands. He wasn’t even close to the tall man.

“Hyung, are you okay?” Jooheon asked, phone in hands trying to beat Changkyun on some mobile game. At least those two were doing just fine hitting it up.

“Yeah, I am. Why?”

“The noodle’s getting soggy.”

He stared at his cup and the instant noodle was indeed soggy and unappetizing.

“You’re not eating?”

He shook his head. The tattoo artist threw him a concerned look before beckoning him to follow. Which he did.

They stopped at the bedroom; inside, the short brunette helping his tall friend to drink up a glass of water with the precise affection of a mother. The two noticed his presence and he suddenly felt too self-conscious.

“Hey,” he said, raising his hand and gave the two that unique greeting gesture he remembered the tall man made at him last time they met. His friendly gesture was reciprocated.

“Thank you for earlier. Sorry you had to see that.”

“No, no… I’m sorry he got past me anyway… uhm, neck, i-is your neck alright?”

“It is, thanks.” The tall man smiled at him then, one that wasn’t strictly polite smile. “I’m Chae Hyungwon, by the way. You’ve seen me passed out after being choked by an ex, so I think we should be at the very least on full name basis by now.”

“Ah, right, so, Chae Hyungwon-nim. I’m Shin Hoseok. Just call me ‘Hoseok’ if you want to.”

“Then you can just call me ‘Hyungwon’ if you want to, Hoseok-ssi.”

And he felt his heart beating so fast it could burst any second now.

**Author's Note:**

> i like imagining hyungwon with tattoo okay? im sorry. also, thanks for reading. any feedback, criticism, or random keysmash, are very, very much welcomed. thank you again~


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